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Kifaru why the name?

Hi Patrick,
I've been wondering what inspired you to choose your company name?. Also how did you come to arrive at it, were you and your friends sitting at the round table with a few pints and la voila it hit you. Just curious forgive me if you have posted this before but in my quick searches of the forum i couldn't find an article.

Re: Kifaru why the name?

Good question. And what about its pronunciation? On you-tube videos I have heard people pronounce it at least a couple of ways. Key-far-u; keyf-a-ru. Where does one syllable end and the other begin? I know it is not a English word so I am not sure how to read it.

Re: Kifaru why the name?

1morehill, I thank you for asking about the company name. Here's the story:

When I decided to do a second start-up company (Mountainsmith was my first) in around 1997 I had been hunting a lot in Africa. And of course picked up some African words. The logo for the original company--Mountainsmith--was an anvil...symbolizing rock-solid strength and so forth (as well as my last name). The symbol of a rhinoceros appealed to me in the same way as the anvil...no nonsense strength and etc. So I spoke with my Professional Hunter down in Africa about the East African languages names for rhino (the main languages being Shona, Metabele and Swahili). The Swahili version had by far the best "ring" to my ear. Elmbow is correct, the pronunciation is Key far oo.

I see my old PH, Roy Vincent, every year at SHOT Show. He has left the Continent and now resides here in the States. He's still tickled with the name for my "new" company, as well as with the fact we seem to be thriving. Yes, Kifaru is an unusual and difficult to pronounce word. I, we, hear all sorts of variations in pronunciation. Okay by me, just so long as folks like the gear I'm happy!

Re: Kifaru why the name?

I am not real sure why, but I am a huge fan of Rhinos. I have a small collection of them on my dresser and after my last deployment, I had one tattooed on each calf. I have been asked if I got them to represent Kifaru once, it made me laugh.